The elite classes were notorious for setting specific rules and hours for African drumming. They were fearful the drums would incite the slaves to rebellion and that perhaps they were sending rhythmic messages. Over the centuries, as the upper classes would ban the lower classes' instruments , the lower classes would simply invent a new performance instrument. Rhythmic elements of African drumming can be heard throughout the evolution of steel drums and is used in the percussion sections (engine rooms) of the steelbands today.

The African rhythmic patterns were later reproduced on bamboo stomping tubes by tamboo bamboo bands who marched in the streets during Carnival. These instruments were constructed by cutting varying lengths of bamboo sticks, stomping the larger sticks on the ground, and striking the smaller ones together.

The next important step in the evolution of the steel drum was metal beating bands of the early 1930's as a gradual replacement for the banned tamboo bamboo. These bands consisted of players using all metallic instruments (i.e. tin pans, biscuit drums, dustbins, ect.) and were sometimes referred to as "iron bands" or "pan bands". It was soon discovered that these non pitched metal instruments changed pitch after they had been beaten for a while.

The very first pitched steel drums were made from smaller metal containers and were convex in shape. The performer would carry the smaller metal drum with one hand and beat the metal with the other. These instruments were crude; they were still in their experimental stages and had no intentional pitches. In the 1940's and 1950's pan innovators experimented with the stylings or note patterns, and improved upon the tuning. Today the drum is constructed from the bottom of a 55 gallon barrel, sunk down in a concave fashion, and tuned with precision.

Courtesy of Dr. Jeannine Remy,
University of the West Indies

Brief Historical Background of Steel Drums

Merlin Gill, better known as “Mutt”, has spent a lifetime dedicated to the promotion of the steel pan. First as a player, an arranger and now as a manufacturer, Mutt has ensured that many know about this instrument’s versatility. Through his travels and his company, Gill’s Pan Shop, Gill has been spreading the gospel of pan across the globe.
Mutt’s love affair with pan began at the tender age of seven, beating pan under his house in Curepe. Mentored by Pedro Burgess, he started on the GRUNDIG, a guitar pan with one big note in the middle surrounded by five smaller notes. Thus began Mutt’s fascination with background pans as evidenced in his arrangements. Over the next three years, Gill and his friends formed the GOLDEN DUKES then he and Robert Greenidge created the ENCHANTED ANGELS with pans contributed by DESPERADOES. One could just imagine the community’s view of this enthusiastic bunch of pre teen boys. Words like wayward, vagabond and good for nothing floated around.
Merlin went on to play with several “town” bands such as CITY SYMPHONY, AMBOYS, STARLIFT and SILVER STARS. In those days, being from the “country” and a good player left him open to many of the petty jealousies and parochial animosities of the “town” men. He quickly realized that his dream of arranging would have to come true in his backyard.

C.G Packaging Systems Ltd is a distributor of 55 gallon drums tailored for manufacturing the steelpan instrument. The company has been formed to meet the urgent, relevant need of barrels for the local steelpan industry. No stranger to the steelpan industry, we have been importing barrels since 2007 which GILLPANS TM has been using to manufacture their instruments.

Specifications of the steel have been upgraded for greater durability , marketability and shelf life. The steelpan is taking a step beyond a cultured instrument and increasing its physical integrity and its international influence. The purpose of this company is to stabilise the steelpan economy and to lift the standard of professionalism in the local industry.

Content

Thickness

Hardness

All the above corresponds with the steelpan terminology and standard ADSR (envelope of notes)- Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. With our present level of competence, we are expanding operations from being just a skill pool and steelpan provider.

We are now poised to become more involved in the local steelpan process. This promises to boost Trinidad’s steelpan landscape and also increase the influence of the steelpan globally. It’s a definitive step towards self governance and the nation becoming the premier steelpan provider

The Digital Pan mobile app is the only steelpan that is officially and exclusively endorsed by the world governing body for the steelpan - Pan Trinbago. This innovative app features instant acess to the entire rance of the steelpan family, including the tenor, double guitars, double seconds and the six bass. The app offers the opportunity to experience the diverse richness of the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago and the only percissive instrument created in the 20th century